How To Build an App From Scratch: 14 Steps for 2026 🛠️

Building an app from scratch can feel overwhelming, especially when traditional development costs regularly exceed $100,000 and require months of waiting before you see any results. Whether you're a startup founder testing a new concept or a business owner looking to expand your digital presence, the technical complexity and financial barriers often stop great ideas in their tracks.

That's where Adalo comes in. Adalo is a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms. AI-assisted building and streamlined publishing enable launch to the Apple App Store and Google Play in days rather than months.

Why Adalo Is the Ideal Platform for Building Your App From Scratch

When you're ready to turn your app idea into reality, you need a platform that eliminates complexity without limiting your potential. Adalo is a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms, published to the Apple App Store and Google Play. This means you can go from concept to fully functional app without writing a single line of code or hiring an expensive development team.

Building an app from scratch traditionally requires navigating separate development processes for web, iOS, and Android—tripling your workload and costs. With Adalo's unified approach, every change you make applies across all platforms simultaneously, and direct publishing to both major app stores gives your creation instant access to billions of potential users. Combined with built-in features like push notifications and a generous free tier to get started, you have everything needed to build, launch, and grow your app idea.

Building an app from scratch can feel overwhelming, especially when traditional development costs regularly exceed $100,000 and require months of waiting before you see any results. Whether you're a startup founder testing a new concept or a business owner looking to expand your digital presence, the technical complexity and financial barriers often stop great ideas in their tracks.

That's where Adalo comes in. Adalo is an AI-powered app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms. Describe what you want to build, and its AI Builder generates your database, screens, and logic automatically. Streamlined publishing enables launch to the Apple App Store and Google Play in days rather than months.

Why Adalo Works for Building Your App From Scratch

When you're building an app from scratch, having the ability to publish directly to both major app stores is essential for reaching your audience wherever they are. Distribution and marketing are often the hardest parts of launching a new app or business—Adalo removes this barrier entirely, giving your app immediate access to billions of potential users.

Ada, Adalo's AI builder, lets you describe what you want and generates your app. Magic Start creates complete app foundations from a description, while Magic Add adds features through natural language.

With Adalo, you also get built-in features like push notifications to keep users engaged, plus the flexibility to start with a free version and scale as your app grows. The platform's Magic Start feature generates complete app foundations from a simple description—tell it you need a booking app for a dog grooming business, and it creates your database structure, screens, and user flows automatically. What used to take days of planning happens in minutes.

Building an app from scratch with traditional methods can cost upwards of $100,000 just to get started. For many businesses, that's a huge investment—before even proving the concept.

But here's the good news: You can start building your app for free using AI-powered platforms. With tools like Adalo, you can create a minimum viable product (MVP) and test it out before scaling up, all for less than $50 a month.

In this guide, we'll cover:

• 5 methods to build an app from scratch
• A step-by-step guide to building your app
• Getting started with Adalo's free version

Let's explore some reasons why you should build an app from scratch and some of the disadvantages.

Why Build an App from Scratch?

Just like anything else, creating an app from scratch has its advantages and disadvantages, which we've summarized below:

Advantages of Building an App from Scratch

• Creative control: When you start building an app from the ground up, you have the freedom to craft and tailor-make every last bit of it. You can customize the layout, colors, elements, and much more, putting you in the captain's chair when it comes to design. This means that your app will look and function exactly as you intend.

• Uniqueness: By creating an app with unique aesthetic and functional aspects, your app will be different from the rest. This means you'll be able to deliver an app that stands out, which is a perk if you're engaged in a competitive industry.

• Tailored user experience: When you're designing an app from scratch, you'll be able to tailor make an exceptional user experience by understanding the precise needs of your target audience. If you do this correctly, more and more folks may flock to your app due to its smooth ease of use, popularizing your app and business.

Drawbacks of Starting from Scratch

• Time-intensive: Just like creating anything else, you'll need to put in the hours when either coding an app from scratch or using an AI-powered app builder. This means that other hobbies and side hustles might need to play second fiddle for a little while, as you'll be writing line after line of code or learning a platform like Adalo, Bubble, or others. However, AI-assisted building has dramatically reduced this time investment—what once took weeks can now happen in days.

• Higher cost: Besides the time spent learning an AI-powered platform, you'll also have to pay a monthly fee to use it. And, if you hire out a developer or agency, you'll be spending a significant amount of money, starting at around $6,000 for very simple apps and peaking in the $100,000s if you're creating an uber-complex app with lots of screens and functionalities.

Luckily, leveraging AI-powered platforms like Adalo can ease these challenges by providing tools that simplify the process while retaining customization options.

Adalo makes creating an app remarkably straightforward: Its AI Builder lets you describe what you want in plain language, and the platform generates the foundation automatically. You can start using the platform as soon as you sign up, which means you won't need to spend much time learning the interface.

5 Different Methods To Build an App from Scratch

Currently, you can develop your app using the 5 following methods:

• Traditional coding: This is using a conventional coding language, like Kotlin, Swift, or Java, to create your app by typing hundreds to thousands of lines of code. You'll need to have mastered a coding language if you want to go this route.

• Low-code app builders: These app builders require a technical background, such as knowledge of the logic behind coding structure, how APIs work, and more. However, they also blend in visual elements like a drag-and-drop interface to develop certain app parts quickly and without monotonous coding.

• AI-powered app builders (e.g., Adalo): You won't need any coding knowledge or technical background to use an AI-powered app builder. These leverage drag-and-drop interfaces combined with AI assistance that function intuitively, allowing for remarkably quick and simple app development. Adalo's Magic Start feature generates complete app foundations from descriptions, while Magic Add lets you add features by simply describing what you want.

• Hybrid development: This is development done using two or more methods. One popular approach, for instance, is to create a base model with an AI-powered platform, then further develop more complex or unique features with traditional coding or contracting development out to an agency.

• Hiring a development team: This involves contracting an app development agency to create your app with code, low-code, or AI-assisted tools. You'll need to shop around, make some contacts, and determine which agency is right for you. You may be working with them long-term, particularly for maintenance and updates.

Ultimately, the app-building method you choose depends mainly on your previous tech experience, time limitations, and budget. In Step 2, we'll discuss the development factors in more detail.

Steps To Build Your App From Scratch

It's important to remember that app development is a marathon, not a sprint. We recommend you thoroughly and thoughtfully execute each step in the guide. Building your app with care can help ensure your final product's quality will stand out from your competitors.

Step 1: Define Your App Idea and Purpose

Before you choose how to develop your app, you'll need a clear purpose for the tasks your app will execute and how your app will add value to users. Get out a piece of paper or tablet and answer the following questions:

• What is your app's name?

• Who is your app's target audience?

• What are the main tasks your app will execute? (booking appointments, selling goods, delivering content, etc.)

• How will your app differ, in terms of usability and functionality, from your competitors?

• Will you monetize your app through in-app purchases?

• Will you release your app on the web, the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or all 3 platforms?

• On a daily basis, how much maintenance and updates will your app require?

• What is your marketing plan?

Next, research the market by searching for apps like yours in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store search function. Read through each app description, look at screenshots and videos provided, and even download a few to get a feel for their functionality.

Take notes on the recurring keywords, app descriptions, and each app's general feel and functionality. You'll refer to these notes when building your app, as your main goals are to provide a superior user experience (UX) through seamless functionalities and better features.

One last note: We recommend you publish your app as a web app and in the app stores (native mobile app). While users won't download web apps to their phones like they would native mobile apps, they'll still be able to access your app using an internet browser, which can provide your app with more traction and more of an audience.

Step 2: Research Your App's Concept

Now that you have your ideas on paper and a sense of your competition, it's time to determine how you want to develop your app. Consider the following when selecting a development method:

• Your fluency in or willingness to learn coding languages.

• Your level of technical knowledge—not necessarily knowing a programming language, but knowing how computers and code work.

• How complex your app will be—if your app has tons of features, like a comprehensive app that manages your hotel's staff and guests use for booking and room service.

• The amount of time you have to build your app.

• Your budget goals.

A good rule of thumb is this: More complex apps will require loads of time to develop. Additionally, some apps, such as certain games or intricate internal business apps for large organizations, can only be created using traditional coding.

However, as we mentioned earlier, hiring a development team can cost anywhere from $5,000 to over $100,000, depending on the complexity of the app and the team's expertise.

Consider AI-Powered Platforms

AI-powered platforms like Adalo are suitable for people who need to develop an app quickly for their small or medium-sized businesses. These platforms are easy to learn and use yet powerful enough to bring many apps for these organizations into reality.

You'll also find several options that can accommodate nearly any budget, ranging from around $0/month for free tiers, but many have a full range of features for less than $50 a month.

It's a good idea to look at the pricing pages of each AI-powered app builder you consider to understand how each specific tier meets your needs. If you're opting for AI-assisted app development, Adalo offers a popular option starting at $36/month (billed annually), giving you 5GB of storage space, publishing to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, unlimited database records, and more.

This unlimited data storage is a significant advantage over competitors like Bubble, which impose record limits that can become costly as your app scales. With Adalo's paid plans, you won't hit unexpected data caps that force expensive upgrades.

Determine Your App's Market Viability and Target Audience

After you've decided whether you want to hire an agency or go it alone using coding or an AI-powered platform, it's time for some market research: You'll need to determine whether or not there's a demand for your app.

Don't worry—you won't need a team of trained statistical analysts or a budget that rivals Quinnipiac Polling to get solid and actionable market data. Here are some great ways to validate your idea:

• Checking demand through surveys and focus groups: Surveys are excellent tools for validating your app ideas because you'll be able to custom-make specific questions that relate to your app and get real-person feedback.

  Use tools like SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, and Typeform and ask potential users about their current solutions for the problem your app aims to solve, features they would find most valuable, and their willingness to pay for such a service. Then, carefully examine the results and use your analysis when you're planning and building your app.

  Unlike surveys, focus groups allow for deeper discussion, letting participants express their thoughts and feelings in more detail. You'll be able to meet with a handful of folks virtually, asking specific questions while getting in-depth answers. This can be particularly useful for understanding user expectations and potential usability issues.

  Services like User Interviews and Respondent.io can help you recruit participants from your target demographic for these sessions. Just like with your surveys, pay close attention to the focus group conclusions and have these in mind when you're building your app.

• Analyze competitors for gaps: Check out a few of your competitors, and try to include folks in your focus groups and surveys who have experience with these apps. Determine where the apps stand out, and where they fall short—it goes without saying, but your main goal is to make your app more appealing by filling in these gaps and providing a more attractive option.

  In addition to getting first-hand user feedback, you can also read through the app's user reviews. Try to find pain points that several users complain about, as only one or two negative reviews about a specific feature could be suspect. Ensure your app avoids these pain points.

• Leverage tools like Google Trends and App Annie: Understanding market trends and consumer behavior is crucial to ensuring demand for your app. Google Trends lets you analyze the popularity of Google search queries. You can see how often people are searching for specific terms related to your app idea over time, giving you an idea of how in-demand the services your app provides are.

  On the other hand, App Annie works much like Google Trends, but it's specifically for mobile apps. You'll get app performance metrics such as downloads, revenue, engagement, user demographics, and more, giving you a solid idea of your competitors and how much potential users value the services you're offering.

Step 3: Planning and Designing Your App's Features and Structure

Ok, folks, we're nearly at the point where we can put in some digital elbow grease and start crafting our apps! But first, you'll need to draw up some plans and list your app's functionalities. So, grab all the notes you took during Step 1 (answers to our questions and market research), and let's get started.

First, let's get an idea of how your app will appear before we list its various functionalities and features. By drawing up each screen, you can note what tasks it will execute. But don't literally "draw" each screen on a sheet of paper—use a wireframing tool like one offered by Figma or Miro.

A wireframing tool lets you draft your app's blueprint on a computer, simplifying the correction and editing process and familiarizing you with a drag-and-drop interface. Now, list each of your app's features and mark where they will appear on your app.

Importantly, when building your app, you should always consider UX, your app's appearance, and the overall user journey. Doing this can help ensure that your final product appears aesthetically pleasing and offers a clutter-free app experience, so folks continue to use your app.

Alternatively, if you're using Adalo, you can skip much of the manual wireframing process. Magic Start generates complete app foundations from a simple description—describe your app concept, and it creates the database structure, screens, and user flows automatically. You can then refine and customize from there, saving significant planning time.

Do You Need Coding Experience to Build an App?

Ultimately, most AI-powered and low-code app builders like Adalo, Glide, and Draftbit offer loads of pre-made templates to kick-start your app building. These templates can help you get your building off the ground, and they can be customized further in their color, layout and functionality to create your app.

So, the short answer to this question is no, you don't need coding experience to build an app if you choose an AI-powered or low-code platform.

But there is a catch: Not all platforms are created equal. Some, like Adalo, are simple enough to use right out of the box—its AI Builder lets you describe what you want in natural language and generates the components automatically. Others, like Bubble, are extremely difficult to learn, much like high-end photo editing or design software.

If you're keen on using a low-code platform, you can't be an absolute beginner, but you also don't need to be a full-stack engineer. You will need to know how backend logic and APIs work, and knowing how to mark up a database using SQL (Structured Query Language) will go a long way.

Step 4: Understanding and Developing Your App's Parts

Once you have your wireframes and plans in order, let's give a brief overview of the 3 parts of any app. App development involves building each of the following:

1. Frontend: Also known as the user interface (UI), the front is the part of your app that users will see and tap—in other words, it's your app's screens, buttons, pictures, and much more.

2. Backend: This "behind the scenes" component is your app's control center. It will pull up information requested by users, switch screens, connect with APIs and third-party platforms, and much more.

3. Database: The database serves as your app's storage center and works closely with the backend. It provides information that the backend sends to users and stores new information brought in by the backend.

Now, let's look at the initial stages of getting started building your app with the different app-creation methods we listed at the beginning. Here are the first steps for each type of development:

• Traditional coding: Open up your coding software and start typing in lines of code.

• AI-powered or low-code: Using an AI-powered tool like Adalo or other low-code tools, you can start building your app by picking a template that suits your needs—or use Magic Start to generate a foundation from your description. Then, you'll edit the template for colors and structure, using drag-and-drop components while adding plugins and third-party integrations. With Adalo's Magic Add feature, you can add new features simply by describing what you want in plain language.

• Hybrid or agency outsourcing: Start connecting with different agencies and give them a glimpse of what you've got planned by providing them with wireframe samples, what you intend for them to create, and (if you're going hybrid) what you'll make first.

Step 5: Developing Your App's Frontend, Backend, and Database

When building your app from scratch, this step will most likely take the most time, as you'll literally be putting your app together. Here's how app development will most likely take shape for each platform:

• Traditional coding: You'll most likely develop your frontend and backend using JavaScript, CSS, and others. If you're making an app for the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, you'll most likely use Swift for iOS (Apple) and Kotlin for Android (Google). Both Swift and Kotlin can also be used for backend development.

  You'll also need to create your database using a database builder like PostgreSQL, Xano, Airtable, and others.

• AI-powered or low-code: These platforms can help you build all three parts of your app interactively by moving pieces around a building canvas and creating a database like you'd make a spreadsheet.

  Adalo has a built-in database with no record limits on paid plans, a front end with loads of templates to start from, and a back end that lets you build customized commands. The AI Builder can generate all three components from your description, and you can continue editing everything with natural language through Magic Add. However, others, like Softr, require a premade third-party database before building other parts of your app.

• Hybrid or agency development: It's possible to create one or two parts of your app, get a start on all three, and then outsource the rest of your development to an agency.

Whether you've wholly outsourced full app development to an agency or a development team is only finishing a few pieces of your app, communicate closely with the developers during the building process. This could drastically reduce the chances of surprises (not the good kind) when they present you with your finished product.

Importantly, when establishing your app's backend infrastructure, setting up a robust environment that includes databases, servers, and APIs is crucial. This allows the app to process data effectively, handle user requests securely, and scale as user demand grows.

It's also essential to choose the right server architecture. If it's on-prem (within your company's building), your IT team will adore you, as it simplifies managing your app's security and makes scaling more manageable.

A few AI-powered app builders, such as Betty Blocks, allow for on-prem hosting, but this is usually reserved for giant organizations and Fortune 500s.

Don't have the luxury of hosting on your own servers? Hosting on reputable cloud providers is the next best option. Most AI-powered and low-code platforms like Adalo and Bubble host with Amazon Web Services (AWS), and you won't need to worry about sorting your hosting out.

Adalo's infrastructure, completely overhauled with the Adalo 3.0 launch in late 2025, features modular architecture that scales to serve apps with millions of monthly active users. Unlike app wrappers that hit speed constraints under load, Adalo's purpose-built architecture maintains performance at scale—processing over 20 million data requests daily with 99%+ uptime.

However, hosting is something you'll need to get sorted yourself if you go the traditional coding route. Additionally, if you're pursuing hybrid and agency development, determine if the agency will help you get hosted.

Step 6: Integrating Core Functionalities and Integrations

Core features and functionalities make your app stand out, perform smoothly, and provide an excellent UX. Here are just a few features you should consider:

• Add a user login plugin enables folks to create their own account if they're using your app often.

• If you have any app that takes payments, you'll need an integration with a payment platform like Stripe, PayPal, or Square.

• Push notifications allow you to send your clients notifications about deals, sales, or upcoming appointments directly through your app.

• Get a Zapier integration. Zapier is a tool that connects your app to 1,000s of third-party platforms like QuickBooks and Mailchimp, allowing you to transfer data directly from these outside accounts to your app.

Traditional coders will have to program these functionalities into their apps and utilize API keys to connect with third-party plugins. If you're going the hybrid or agency route, you'll need to ensure that the development teams put the required functionalities in your app.

For those choosing an AI-powered app builder like Adalo or a low-code platform, rest assured that most of these app builders come with integrations to major payment platforms, Zapier, and all the other popular tools you'd consider using with your app.

With Adalo's Magic Add feature, you can add these integrations by simply describing what you need: "Add Stripe payment processing to the checkout screen" or "Set up push notifications for order updates." The AI handles the configuration, making integration setup faster than ever.

Step 7: Perform Security Checks

Performing security checks is crucial to ensure that user data is protected and your app complies with regulatory frameworks. Here are two ways to proceed:

1. Ensure Compliance with Relevant Regulations

Security begins with understanding the legal requirements that apply to your app. For instance, if you're making an app for medical services, it must be HIPAA-compliant. It's also important to stay updated with current regulations, as they tend to change. Failure to comply with the newest regulation could result in your app getting shut down or worse.

2. Implement Security Measures such as Data Encryption, Secure Authentication, and Privacy Settings

Your app will gather and transmit user data, so it's essential to safeguard this. Lock down your user data by following this 3-pronged approach:

• Data encryption: Store and transmit data using robust encryption protocols like AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). Encrypting data at rest and in transit protects it from bad actors by making it unreadable without the proper decryption key.

• Secure authentication: Implement multifactor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security. This requires users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to their accounts, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.

• Privacy settings: Provide users with adjustable privacy settings to let them control the visibility of their personal information. This empowers users and bolsters trust, as they can manage who sees their data and how it is used.

For traditional coders and folks taking a hybrid approach, you should be able to create your security protocols, data encryption, and more. However, becoming HIPAA-compliant requires you to follow a serious process because medical apps contain sensitive patient medical info.

Most AI-powered and low-code builders rely on a cloud hosting service to provide data security measures, so it's a good idea to sign up with an app builder that uses a reliable cloud host like AWS. Many app builders, like Adalo and Bubble, have basic data encryption functions and secure authentication.

Adalo's X-Ray feature also helps identify potential performance issues before they affect users—including security-related bottlenecks that could expose vulnerabilities under load. This proactive approach to app health helps maintain both performance and security as your user base grows.

Only a few AI-powered and low-code platforms, such as Jotform and Xano, are HIPAA-compliant. So, if you're making an app for medical professionals with an AI-powered platform, always check and see if it's HIPAA-compliant.

Step 8: Prepare for Launch

At this point in the app development process, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. However, before you publish your app to the web and app stores, it's important to cross off the following:

• Write your app's description: Remember your notes about your competitor's keywords and keyword ideas for your app? It's time to dust those off because you'll need them now.

  With your notes by your side, start writing your app description with your competitors' keywords and synonyms. For instance, if a keyword is "salon booking app," include the synonym "nail salon appointment app" (or whatever salon type matches yours). This helps your app appear in more search results for specific keywords, which can increase your app's visibility in the app store search results.

  It's also essential to keep your description to the point: Although you'll have a 4,000-character limit, write just enough to illustrate your app's functionality. No one wants to read an app description that reminds them of a graduate school text.

• Design a standout icon: Your app's icon will appear beside your app's title in the app store search results and on users' phones when they download your app. So, people will think of your icon as both a "button to access your app" on their phone and your logo.

  It goes without saying, but having an eye-catching app icon is absolutely essential. Don't worry if you've never designed an icon: Get yourself a Looka account and create your own app icon.

• Functional screenshots and videos: Provide screenshots and videos of your app's features and functionalities, so users can see what they're getting. Also, ensure these shots are clear and professional—bad ones will reflect poorly on you.

If you plan to release a native mobile app with traditional coding, an AI-powered, or a low-code platform, you'll need to make an icon, write a description, and provide screenshots.

However, if you choose hybrid or agency development, you most likely won't need to worry about writing your app's description or designing your icon, as the folks you hire will do it for you. For obvious reasons, just ensure they get your approval before publishing—many 49ers' fans would be appalled if their app icon were Dallas Cowboy colors.

Step 9: Test Your App Thoroughly

Both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store have testing platforms. You'll need to create an account for these platforms anyway (Apple costs $99/year, and Google charges a one-time $25 fee), so sign up for Google Play Testing and Apple's Testflight while you're doing so.

These testing platforms allow users to download your app to their phones, try it out, and provide feedback. While testing your app is optional, we recommend it—you'll get valuable insights about your app's performance, which you can use to improve.

If you're using Adalo, the platform's X-Ray feature identifies performance issues before they affect users. It highlights potential bottlenecks and scalability concerns during development, so you can address them before launch rather than discovering problems after your app is live.

Once again, traditional coders, AI-powered, and low-code developers must execute their own testing by creating accounts. Those outsourcing most likely won't need to worry about testing—they'll pay the agencies to do so.

Step 10: Start and Finish Publishing Procedures

After running through your app testing, it's time to start the publishing process, which differs on both platforms. We'll give you a quick run-down of how to publish your app according to Apple's and Google's procedures:

Apple's Publishing Procedures

1. Log into App Store Connect using your Apple ID. Enter your app's title, icon, meta description, screenshots, and video, and provide all the other required info.

2. Submit your app to iOS with Xcode. Now, it's time to wait for Apple to review your app.

3. If your app is rejected, Apple will provide feedback.

4. Follow Apple's feedback and re-submit your app. If it is good to go, it can be published in as little as a few hours.

Google's Publishing Procedures

1. Create a listing on Google Play with your app's icon, title, meta description, and screenshots. Include all necessary information about your app, such as regions of availability, whether users will pay to download it, and more.

2. Produce an APK (Android Packet Kit) or AAB (Android App Bundle) file with Android Studio.

3. Navigate to Google Play Console and upload your APK or AAB.

4. Google will give you feedback if your app is rejected. Implement the necessary changes and get your app published.

Publishing a web app can be a much easier experience than publishing on the app stores. The vast majority of AI-powered and low-code platforms will provide you with instructions on how to publish to the web.

Some AI-powered and low-code platforms will even provide you with a domain (www.YOURSITE.com) or website address. However, if you don't have one, you'll need to purchase one yourself, which you can do from a hosting service like GoDaddy. If you code your own app, you probably already know you need a domain.

And if you're outsourcing development to an agency, they'll most likely register your domain as well—but it's important to check that they do so.

With Adalo, the publishing process is significantly streamlined. The platform handles much of the technical complexity of app store submission, including generating the necessary build files and guiding you through the requirements. One build publishes to web, iOS App Store, and Android Play Store—you don't need to maintain separate codebases for each platform.

Step 11: Monitor App Performance and Gather Feedback

Maintaining an app is like maintaining an airplane—it must work 100% of the time. Check-in with your app multiple times daily to ensure it's running smoothly. Address any issues like bugs and glitches as soon as you find them. A poorly performing app will ruin your reputation.

You can also use your app's analytics function to pinpoint user locations, app dwell times, your most popular screens, and more.

Additionally, allow users to post feedback about your app on the app store. This can help improve your app's ranking in app store search results for Android and iOS, which means that it might appear at the top of the results for specific keywords.

If you receive a negative review, contact the reviewer for more information. Resolving the issue can result in the reviewer deleting the negative review and writing a positive one that applauds how much you care about your audience.

For Adalo users, the platform's analytics and X-Ray feature provide ongoing visibility into app performance. X-Ray continues to identify potential issues as your app scales, helping you maintain performance even as your user base grows to thousands or millions of monthly active users.

Step 12: Monetization

One of the more attractive perks of building your own app is that you can add monetization features for some side income. Here are 4 ways you can monetize your app:

• In-app purchases: In-app purchases are perks that folks buy in order to get a bolstered user experience (UX). For instance, if you have a productivity or well-being app, you can allow your users to purchase extra perks, like specific meditation teachings, premium analytics, and other UX-boosting features.

• Subscriptions: If you publish specific content, offer unique analysis, or have built a niche social media app, charging users to access it via a subscription can be a beneficial way to make a little more money. Charge per article or by a specific period—don't forget to offer bulk discounts, like 2 months for free, when a user subscribes for an entire year. This can entice more and more folks to subscribe to your app.

• Advertisements: Using in-app advertising is one of the most popular ways to monetize your app. You can offer banner ads, which appear subtly at the top of your screen, interstitial ads that appear when users navigate between screens, or affiliate ads for products you promote within your app, like a supplement for your well-being app.

Whenever users purchase a product you're advertising, you'll get a small cut of the profit, which can add up if you have loads of users and a hot seller.

Step 13: Iterate, Improve, and Scale Your App

Although your app is published, you'll want to continue ensuring all its features and functionalities are current. For folks who've built on AI-powered and low-code platforms like Adalo, you'll be able to find new updates to plugins and features to ensure your app always runs smoothly.

Sometimes, it's a good idea to completely revamp your app, like a restaurant menu. We don't recommend doing this every six months because it could confuse users, but to ensure your app always has a modern look, give it a periodic face-lift.

You'll also want to ensure your app scales to accommodate many users. Properly scaling your app requires a robust backend, flexible cloud services from a reputable provider like AWS, and a few other factors. With these in place, your app can adjust to increased traffic demands automatically.

Adalo's modular infrastructure, introduced with the Adalo 3.0 overhaul in late 2025, scales to serve apps with millions of monthly active users with no upper ceiling. Unlike app wrappers that hit speed constraints under load, Adalo's purpose-built architecture maintains performance at scale. Over 1 million apps have been built on the platform, processing 20 million+ data requests daily with 99%+ uptime.

The platform's unlimited database storage on paid plans means you won't hit unexpected data caps as your user base grows—a common pain point with competitors that impose record limits.

Step 14: Engagement, Marketing, and App Store Optimization

After your app has been live for a few days, announce its launch to your entire network via social media, email, text, YouTube, or any other communication platform. Doing this a few days after launch is like a restaurant's soft opening: It allows you to iron out a few final wrinkles.

If you want to expand your user base, consider marketing your app. We wrote an in-depth guide full of long-term strategies and bit-by-bit tactics that you can execute as soon as you publish your app.

Are you looking to be the top dog in the app store rankings? Then check out our App Store Optimization article, which has tons of info to help move your app up in the App Store search results.

Conclusion: Start Building Your App Today

If you're a techie, you might be best served using your coding skills or a low-code app builder.

Those strapped for time should consider a hybrid approach or hiring an agency. Although costs could be high, your role in app development is essentially that of a consultant, not a creator.

But if you're looking for an affordable and AI-assisted app builder, look no further than Adalo. You'll have nearly 40 templates to get your building started fast, or use Magic Start to generate a complete foundation from your description. Plus, you'll be able to add thousands of third-party integrations and dozens of developer-made plugins, providing your app with serious power.

When you finish building your app, Adalo lets you publish it on the web, in the Apple App Store, and in the Google Play Store from a single codebase. Sign up for Adalo's free version and start creating your app now.

FAQ

Why choose Adalo over other app building solutions?

Adalo is an AI-powered app builder that creates true native iOS and Android apps. Unlike web wrappers, it compiles to native code and publishes directly to both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store from a single codebase—the hardest part of launching an app handled automatically. The platform's AI Builder lets you describe what you want and generates your database, screens, and logic, dramatically reducing development time.

What's the fastest way to build and publish an app to the App Store?

Adalo's drag-and-drop interface combined with AI-assisted building lets you go from idea to published app in days rather than months. Magic Start generates complete app foundations from descriptions, and the platform handles the complex App Store submission process, so you can focus on your app's features and user experience instead of wrestling with certificates and provisioning profiles.

Can I easily build an app from scratch without coding experience?

Yes, with Adalo's AI-powered app builder, you can easily build an app from scratch without any coding experience. The intuitive drag-and-drop interface lets you create fully functional apps using pre-made templates and components, or you can use Magic Start to generate a foundation from your description and start building immediately after signing up.

How much does it cost to build an app from scratch with Adalo?

You can start building your app for free with Adalo's free tier, and full-featured plans start at just $36/month when billed annually. This is dramatically more affordable than traditional development, which can cost anywhere from $6,000 for simple apps to over $100,000 for complex applications. Paid plans include unlimited database records, so you won't hit unexpected data caps as your app scales.

What features can I add to my app built with Adalo?

Adalo supports essential features like user authentication, payment integrations with Stripe and PayPal, push notifications, and connections to thousands of third-party platforms through Zapier. You can also access dozens of developer-made plugins to add powerful functionality. With Magic Add, you can add new features simply by describing what you want in plain language.

Can I create both a web app and mobile apps from the same Adalo project?

Yes, Adalo allows you to publish your app as a web app and native mobile apps for both iOS and Android from a single project. This cross-platform approach means you can reach users wherever they are—on desktop browsers, iPhones, or Android devices—without building separate versions or maintaining multiple codebases.

Do I need to handle app store submission myself when using Adalo?

While you'll need Apple Developer ($99/year) and Google Play Console ($25 one-time) accounts, Adalo streamlines the submission process significantly. The platform guides you through the requirements and handles much of the technical complexity, making it far easier than traditional coding approaches.

How does Adalo handle app scalability?

Adalo's modular infrastructure, completely overhauled with the Adalo 3.0 launch in late 2025, scales to serve apps with millions of monthly active users with no upper ceiling. Unlike app wrappers that hit speed constraints under load, Adalo's purpose-built architecture maintains performance at scale—processing over 20 million data requests daily with 99%+ uptime.

What is Adalo's X-Ray feature?

X-Ray is Adalo's AI-powered feature that identifies performance issues before they affect users. It highlights potential bottlenecks and scalability concerns during development, so you can address them before launch rather than discovering problems after your app is live. This proactive approach helps maintain both performance and security as your user base grows.

How long does it take to build an app from scratch with Adalo?

With Adalo's AI-assisted building, you can go from concept to published app in days rather than months. Magic Start generates complete app foundations from descriptions in minutes, and the drag-and-drop interface lets you customize and add features quickly. Simple apps can be built and published in a weekend, while more complex apps might take a few weeks.